The Fur Trader (Coureur des bois) - Balsam Fir Soap

According to Le Petit Robert dictionary : Soap is a "product used for degreasing and washing, obtained by the action of an alkali (base) on a fatty substance (especially vegetable oils)". In other words, soap is the product of a reaction between a base and one or more acids. The chemical reaction between a base and an acid produces a salt. Therefore, soap is a salt. However, not all salt is soap.

Although there is no certification for the term "natural", we can tell you that our soaps are made right here in our Austin workshop with olive oil, organic coconut oil and beeswax (Ferme Intermiel, Mirabel). They contain no synthetic fragrances (only essential oils or natural ingredients such as honey, cocoa, oatmeal), no additives, stabilizers or preservatives. They are of vegetable origin, biodegradable, and you can use them for body, face and hair.

We try to use organic ingredients, such as shea butter, coconut oil, sunflower oil, whenever possible and are committed to sourcing raw materials that are not synthetically produced; and do not contain GMOs like many other vegetable oils (palm, soybean, canola, etc.). We make the best possible choices, and work with local producers whenever possible (the Champy farm for sunflower oil, Aliksir for many of our essential oils). All the vegetable oils in our Soleil de l'Est sunflower soaps are organic.

No, and it's not in our plan. Liquid soaps contain a high proportion of water (first ingredient) and a bottle that is rarely recycled and/or reused. As a company, we’ve made an ecological choice to encourage our customers to use bar soap instead of liquid soap. Also, the bottle (the container) is worth about 40% of the cost of manufacturing the product. You pay for the bottle first, for the water, and then for the rest. For liquid soap, we recommend the company Oneka in Frelighsburg, which makes excellent shampoos, conditioners and liquid shower gels.

No. When buying handmade soap, it is important to dry it on something that allows air circulation - the soap should be able to dry on the underside, ideally on a soap dish. For example, for a family of four using a bar of soap daily – on body, face and hair - it will last about two weeks.

Soaps must dry for 30 days before being used. When you buy our soaps, you don't need to dry them any longer, but if you buy more than one, be aware that olive oil soap hardens in the open air, so don't wrap it for conservation. If you keep a bar of soap for several months, it will become harder and may last longer, but we recommend using it within a year of purchase for optimum quality.

We recommend using soaps, balms and deodorants within one year of purchase and body butters and shea butter within two years of purchase to ensure optimal quality.

All of our soaps are very moisturizing, but the Mère-Grande soap (Lavender, shea butter and calendula) is particularly suitable for sensitive and reactive skin. This soap contains lavender essential oil, which repairs and soothes the skin, 5% shea butter, which protects and revitalizes the skin, and we use olive oil macerated with calendula, a medicinal plant that relieves irritation, to make our soap. We also have Mama Karité, which contains 50% shea butter, a real cream in a bar! For more information on the best soaps for dry or mature skin, click here!

La Sirène, our clay and grapefruit soap, regulates oils by being a little astringent, without being too strong for the skin like commercial abrasive solutions. It is gentle, yet effective in regulating oils on the face or body, an excellent choice for athletes or people with oily skin or hair, or for acne-prone skin. All soaps containing charcoal are also very suitable for regulating facial oils. For more information on the best soaps for oily skin, click here!

You can wash your hair with any of our soaps, except the exfoliating ones. Canola oil and sunflower oil are ideal for hair care. They regulate the oils in the scalp and can solve oily hair as well as dry hair problems. We have also formulated shampoo bars such as Mrs Mophead, Thorough Hair Care soap, Riverside or Maritime that contribute to the vitality, health and growth of your hair. For our guide on the ideal shampoo, click here!

The chemical reaction is so atypical that it needs a special name: saponification. Specifically, saponification occurs when a strong base meets one or more fatty acids, which are weak organic acids naturally present in animal and plant fats. Animal and vegetable fats are molecular structures called triglycerides. These are made up of three fatty acid molecules and one glycerol molecule. Saponification produces a chemical mixture of salt (soap) and free glycerol molecules (glycerin). In natural manufacturing, salt and glycerin coexist in the finished product. The cleaning action of soap comes from its characteristic molecular structure. Each soap particle is made of a water-loving part and an oil-loving part. When we rub soap on our skin, the oil-loving part moisturizes while the water-loving part removes dirt. This effect of soap-salt dissolving in water, combined with oxygen, produces a typical soap reaction: lather! Except, just because it lathers doesn't mean it's good soap!!! Good soap is something much more complex. A good soap must contain naturally produced glycerin. Artisanal soap makers can also increase the amount of acid in order to obtain a product containing a certain amount of unsaponified fatty acids, which act as emollients when the soap is used. This process is called superfatting. Artisanal soap makers tend to use natural ingredients rather than chemical fragrances and do not use petrochemical derivatives in the making of their soaps. This information can help us when choosing between a soap that is good for us and one that is industrially processed. Homemade or commercial soap, solid or liquid, it's really your choice! Remember that you have the right to exercise your purchasing power by choosing products that are healthy for your body and mind!